The best cycling holidays in Europe.
Service Rating 4.7 from 898 reviews

Puglia and Matera Cycling Holiday

4.9
(15 reviews)

Spend two nights in fascinating Matera, Italy’s oldest settlement, before embarking on a cycling tour of Puglia, the heel of Italy. See the charming Trulli houses in Alberobello and visit the white city of Ostuni. Ride along blissfully quiet, picturesque lanes, flanked by ancient olive groves, orchards and wheat fields. See both the Ionian and Adriatic coasts and marvel at the baroque splendour of Lecce.

Puglia is southern Italy’s land of plenty. A warm climate and incredibly rich soil make it a farmer’s dream. It’s not bad for cyclists either – the roads are quiet, the scenery is sublime and any hills are short and shallow.

Flexitreks Cycling HolidayTorre Sant Andrea - Salento

Your holiday starts in the neighbouring region of Basilicata, in the town of Matera. Abandoned for many years, the haunting, old, hillside town of Sassi (Stones) is a human warren of ancient troglodyte dwellings connected by an intricate maze of corridors and stairways. Explore this fascinating place before being transferred to Alberobello from where your cycling holiday will begin.

In Alberobello you can admire the charming, naturally air-conditioned Trulli houses, cleverly designed to keep occupants cool in the summertime. You’ll visit Ostuni, the ancient ‘white town’, offering splendid views across the countryside to the Adriatic coast. You’ll cycle along quiet lanes lined with dry-stone walls that wind their way through Puglia’s fertile countryside of ancient, gnarled olive groves, orchards and wheat fields.

The fortified town of Gallipoli marks the beginning of the coastal section of the holiday as the route leads you south along the Ionian coast’s gorgeous beaches. After a night at the very tip of Italy’s heel you turn north and head up the rugged Adriatic coast to the enchanting town of Otranto. As a fitting finale your last night is spent in the ornate and opulent town of Lecce. Lose yourself in the narrow streets and find the perfect restaurant to celebrate your Puglia adventure.

This leisurely cycling holiday can be enjoyed by anyone of average fitness. For the most part the terrain is level and any hills are short and not that challenging.

Itinerary

If you wish to do this same itinerary but starting from Alberobello, without a stay in Matera, then please see our 7 night Puglia Cycling Holiday.

You will be picked up from Bari airport and transferred to your accommodation in Matera, one of the oldest settlements in Italy.

The day is yours to explore this fascinating place on foot. Since palaeolithic times man has lived here in dwellings dug into the honey-coloured soft stone of the surrounding hillside. Over centuries more houses were added above and below each other, connected by a maze-like network of stairways and exterior corridors. Looking across the valley, the town looks like a huge human rabbit warren. It’s extremely picturesque and is protected as a world heritage site but not so long ago its inhabitants were amongst the poorest in Italy, living without running water or electricity. You’ll spend a second night in this truly unique town.

Today you are transferred in the afternoon to the town of Alberobello in Puglia. The journey time is just over one hour. Alberobello is a pretty town famous for its many traditional ‘Trulli’ houses. The clever design of these charming, circular stone dwellings keeps the occupants cool during the summer months. The cycling starts tomorrow so the day is yours to enjoy strolling around this charming little town.

Important: As Alberobello has a traffic-free city centre your transfer vehicle will drop you off between 250 and 500 metres from your hotel. You will then proceed to your hotel on foot.

Your first ride leads you through the Valle d’Itria dotted with small hamlets and pretty vineyards. We recommend stopping to taste the wine produced in this region, as it really is very good. Take a break in the pretty, hilltop town of Locorotondo before pressing on eastwards. In the early afternoon you arrive in Ostuni, the ‘white town’, so named because of its whitewashed buildings standing out against the sky. From the top of the town you can enjoy superb views out over the Adriatic coastline 6 kms away to the east. The narrow streets of this quaint little place are a pleasure to explore on foot.

Today’s route leads you south along a network of quiet country lanes to the town of Manduria. You will be riding through a landscape of red earth, olive groves and dry stone walls that typifies Puglia’s charm and appeal. Take a lunch break in the charming old town of Oria clustered around the imposing castle before continuing south to Manduria the capital of the Puglia’s Primitivo grape region.

Today’s quite long but easy ride delivers you to Puglia’s Ionian Coast. We recommend timing your arrival in Porto Cesareo to coincide with lunch as there are some lovely fish restaurants in the pretty little seaside town. A little further along the coast you enjoy a peaceful and scenic ride through the serene Porto Selvaggio nature reserve. You destination today is the fortified port of Gallipoli. The town occupies a strategic position and has a long history of repelling attackers as well as being overrun. A visit to the impressive fortress will provide you with more details on its violent past. The narrow, winding streets of the old town have a Moorish feel to them and are a delight to explore on foot.

Continue south along the Ionian coastline, the route passes numerous idyllic beaches so it’s a good idea to have your swim stuff packed in your pannier today. After this lovely coastal ride you arrive in the small town of Santa Maria di Leuca. The town marks the point where the Ionian and Adriatic seas meet and has that lovely end-of-the-earth, remoteness about it. This is probably why it has attracted quite an eccentric population many of whom live in the numerous, quirky but luxurious villas that abound here. Spend the night in this pleasant little town.

Bid the Ionian Sea farewell and say hello to the Adriatic as you head northwards along its rocky coastline. Today is all about superb sea-views, pretty coastal villages and quaint ports. The swim spots are not as frequent as on yesterday’s ride but they do exist so be sure to pack the swim stuff again. You could also stop off at the Zinzulusa Cave, a stunning Grotto with clear turquoise waters and/or the spa town of Santa Cesarea, known for its sulphurous mineral springs and mud therapy treatments. Otranto itself is an enchanting old town and the waterfront promenade is the perfect place to enjoy a delicious meal after the day’s activities.

Your last day of cycling takes you further along the coast to Torre dell’Orso – a great place for a swim by the way – and then inland to the Baroque city of Lecce. The city has been dubbed the Florence of the South and makes a lovely finale to the cycling holiday. Narrow little streets suddenly open up to reveal baroque treasures seething with detail, like the incredible Basilica di Santa Croce. Historically, Lecce was always the powerhouse of Puglia and this is evident in its opulent and ornate architecture. Perhaps celebrate your achievement with a nice meal in one of the town’s many restaurants.

After breakfast it is time to head for home or your next adventure.

Bikes

On this tour you can choose between a regular bike or an E-bike.

Regular bikes: They are modern alloy framed touring models with 27 speeds and gel saddles which offer a very comfortable riding position. Minimum height for unisex/step-through bike is 150cm. Minimum height for male specific bike is 160cm. Bikes come equipped with a pannier and per room a front bag, lock and repair kit. 

Electric bikes: The 9 speed electric bikes have unisex low-entry frames feature gel saddles and ergonomic grips. The Bosch powerpack offers a range of 90km (over flat terrain at an average speed). Minimum height for unisex/step-through bike is 150cm. Minimum age for e-bike is 18. Electric bikes come equipped with a pannier, battery charger plus, per room, a front bag, lock and repair kit. 

We suggest you bring your own helmet for safety and hygiene reasons. Alternatively, helmets for adults only, are available for rent at the time of booking.

Accommodation

Below you will find examples of the types of accommodation typically used on this tour. Please note that the hotels we book for you may differ slightly from those described but they will certainly be of a similar standard.

Comfort: Comfortable hotels and guesthouses

Matera: Hotel Sassi

Alberobello: Albergo Sant'Antonio

Ostuni: Hotel Rione Antico La Terra

Manduria: Sine Tempore B&B

Gallipoli: Hotel Joli Park

Santa Maria di Leuca: Hotel Terminal

Otranto: Hotel Albania

Lecce: Hotel Delle Palme

Superior: Good quality hotels and guesthouses.

Matera: Hotel Sassi

Alberobello: Trullidea Resort (superior)

Ostuni: Sant’Eligio Relais

Manduria: BHB Hotel

Gallipoli: Hotel 33 Baroni

Santa Maria di Leuca: Gran Hotel L’approdo

Otranto: Hotel San Giuseppe

Lecce: Hotel Delle Palme

Local taxes

Some hotels have started to charge a local/tourist tax. These taxes are not included in the sale price of the tour and must be paid directly by you at check-in or checkout at the hotels. This fee varies and is ever changing but as a guide, you may be asked to pay between €1-€4 per person per night

Getting There

Fly to Bari from where you will be picked up and transferred to Matera (this transfer is included in your package). At the end of the trip you can fly home from either Bari or Brindisi airports. Transfers to either airport from your last hotel can be arranged for a supplement. alternatively it is also possible to use public transport.

Research flights from the UK here.

Research trains in Italy here.

Reviews

Anonymous - December, 02 Dec 2024
Service
5
Great service as always
Service
5
Varied scenery through olive groves, historic villages and coastal roads. Fairly easy cycling.
Beverley Turner - July, 25 Jul 2023
Service
5
Really excellent, efficient and most of all friendly service from Ally. Felt reassured at all times.
Andy - July, 26 Jul 2023
Lovely words and most welcome - thank you Beverley
Service
5
Fabulous trip - bonus extra day in Matera - definitely worth it. Cycling was great - beautiful and varied scenery, lovely towns en route/overnight stays. Especially lovely around the coast - loads of opportunities for swimming, resting, eating etc. Cycling was challenging in parts (some hills) but mostly easy. Bikes/bike collection super efficient. Would highly recommend this trip.
Andy - July, 26 Jul 2023
So great to hear you enjoyed Matera and the route overall Beverley. Love a route with lots of swimming and eating opportunities!
Stephen Hunt - October, 26 Oct 2019
Service
5
Superb attentive and responsive personal service
Andy - January, 02 Jan 2020
Thanks Stephen , we really appreciate your kind words.
Service
5
Excellent cycles, route, guide book and superb accommodation
Andy - January, 02 Jan 2020
Sounds like you had a great time - thanks Stephen.
David Hodgson - October, 26 Oct 2019
Service
5
Excellent variety of hotels . Good maps . Perhaps the quality of bike could be improved slightly
Andy - January, 02 Jan 2020
Thanks David, we appreciate your feedback. Bikes not been raised as an issue before so it would be good to get more detail on this from you if possible.
Service
5
Excellent thanks very much
Andy - January, 02 Jan 2020
You are very welcome.
Wayne Grady - June, 16 Jun 2019
Service
5
Once again Ally provided timely ,informative responses to my inquires.
Andy - September, 03 Sep 2019
Thanks Wayne, we really appreciate the feedback.
Service
5
Excellent e bikes ,hotels and a wonderful cycle through a beautiful scenic part of Italy . Very pleased with all the arrangements .
Andy - September, 03 Sep 2019
So glad you enjoyed it Wayne.
Anonymous - May, 26 May 2019
Service
5
Very helpful and informative
Andy - September, 02 Sep 2019
Thank you, we aim to please.
Service
5
Good maps and tour information great bikes with brilliant gears and a beautiful route
Andy - September, 02 Sep 2019
We are so glad you enjoyed this beautiful route around the heel of Italy.
Anonymous - May, 14 May 2019
Service
5
All info arrived in good time
Andy - May, 20 May 2019
Excellent - thank you.
Service
5
Really well organised trip, lovely hotels, beautiful time of year to come to Puglia - rolling fields filled with wild flowers of all colours, olive groves, fig trees, quaint towns and villages and not too hot. The cycling was just about perfect length.
Andy - May, 20 May 2019
Lovely description of this magical region - thank you so much.
Lys de beaumont - April, 16 Apr 2019
Service
4
Overall it was a very good trip. An interesting area, good cycling distances except for the first day. Though as we said, there wasn't really another option for that day, except the one we organised! The bikes were excellent.
Andy - May, 20 May 2019
Glad you enjoyed it Lys and thanks for the useful feedback.
Service
5
The bikes were excellent, the Roadbook was good, except obviously when there were (?)last minute roadworks on the first day that we cycled (day 2), when I think we'd have been stuck without Google. I didn't use the book with maps in, but from what I saw it was fine for the straightforward bits, but not too helpful for the complex ones. I thought the book with all the info about the area was good and very interesting. We would have appreciated a copy per person rather than per room booked. The hotels were all fine, except perhaps the Gallipoli one, which didn't really have the capacity to feed us all at breakfast......and there was our problem with the aircon in the room
Andy - May, 20 May 2019
Thanks for the feedback Lys. Roadworks diversions can spring up from time to time and while our local suppliers do their best to stay abreast of them it's true that an app with online mapping can often help in such situations.
Roger Crabtree - November, 08 Nov 2018
Service
5
This was well organised, efficient and met all our needs. All communications with staff were positive and without delay.
Andy - February, 08 Feb 2019
Many thanks Roger, your comments are very much appreciated.
Service
5
We had a fantastic time. The weather was perfect, the guide book excellent and the maps accompanied by the detailed instructions made the trip easy to navigate each day. We appreciated the detailed information about each town visited and the various options available to enhance our experience. We would recommend that the bikes be fitted with suspension seats or suspension as the roads on the first two days especially, are quite rough.
Andy - February, 08 Feb 2019
Many thanks Roger, we're glad you had such a fantastic time.
Anonymous - June, 18 Jun 2018
Service
4
Staff were helpful in responding to specific questions and relaying on requests regarding diet to the hotels we stayed in. Communication via email was prompt and clear
Andy - July, 25 Jul 2018
We really appreciate your taking the time to provide this helpful review.
Service
4
Hotels were good, varied and well chosen. Organisation was thorough and efficient. The route was at times slightly disappointing- the terrain was a bit ordinary at times and some stretches were dull, particularly on the journey from Gallipoli to Leuca. We were surprised how deserted some of the towns and villages were along the way - and how tricky it was to find decent food, particularly on the first weekend.The bikes were a bit heavy but were well maintained and fit for purpose.
Andy - July, 25 Jul 2018
Thank you for the useful feedback.
Gillian Bryce - June, 21 Jun 2017
Service
5
Very responsive AND HELPFUL
Service
4
Had a great time. would use the company again
Andy - July, 03 Jul 2017
Exactly what we like to hear - thanks Gillian!
Sara Sonley - October, 18 Oct 2016
Service
5
great help with questions. Always prompt response
Service
5
The accommodation was great although unimpressed with one of the hotels. Only cyclists in and we were out in a room at the back with huge tree outside, shame as a sea view would have been wonderful. Check that the emergency number is answered please! Also point out to other clients that rain travel is so easy if you get the correct company. We got on the platform of ferrova sud, apologies for the spelling, and despite asking three times, once in Italian, once in English, And once actually pointing at a map and showing Matera we were sold a ticket to Alberobella and had to get off that train, wait over an hour to get back to Bari and then start again.
Andy - November, 07 Nov 2016
Thanks for the feedback Sara. If you could let us know which hotel you were unimpressed with we'll look at changing it for future customers. Also, in light of your experiences, we're reviewing the info we provide on local train travel. Thanks again.
Donna - September, 24 Sep 2016
Service
5
Easy to contact. Quick to respond. Offered good options.
Service
5
The local company was great. Routes well identified with yellow arrow stickers, maps were excellent, directions clear, reset points a great idea as you did not get muddled with km over the day. Guide to sights in each area interesting and helpful, especially the restaurants. Bikes and equipment in excellent condition. Countryside amazing. Hotels were all interesting and different a great mix not just run of the mill. Ride was more hilly than all of us expected. Map with elevations a good tool.
Andy - September, 29 Sep 2016
Thanks for the review Donna we're so glad you enjoyed your cycling adventure in Puglia. We agree that website elevation charts would be useful for such tours and we're looking at how best to facilitate this.
Anonymous - May, 23 May 2016
Service
5
I dealt principally with Ali who was very helpful indeed.
Service
5
All very well organised locally. Instructions were good, bikes were excellent.
Andy - June, 02 Jun 2016
Many thanks for the positive review of this popular cycling holiday in southern Italy.
Anonymous - December, 28 Dec 2015
Service
5
Always very helpful.
Ally - January, 02 Jan 2016
Many thanks for taking the time to give us your constructive feedback on your recent trip with Flexitreks. We will certainly speak to our local partners about supplying better information on places to eat lunch en route and for them to advise if they think at any time it is necessary to consider a packed lunch. The Flexitreks Team
Service
4
Better information about places to get food en route would be helpful. Even when paying for high session many of the towns and villages we passed through were closed up and each day became about when we could next find food. We traveled at the end of September.